Toilet paper roll cabinet



Aug- 13, 1940.

R. W. JOHNSON TOILET PAPER ROLL CABINET Jan. 2,

' s lfaizenter 13, 1940 rrEo STATES PATENT OFFICE 12 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in toilet paper roll cabinets.

The principal object of my invention is to provide an attractive one-piece molded plastic cabinet of the kind mentioned so designed that simple and inexpensive molds may be used and the cabinet may be produced in quantity at a reasonably low cost.

A further object of the invention is to prol@ vide a cabinet designed to effectively conceal the toilet paper roll while still making the paper easily accessible for use, the cabinet being further designed for quick and easy removal from a small supporting spring clip on the wall for re- 15 loading purposes,v and designed so that removal of the previous rolls spool and entry oi a new roll and remounting of the refilled cabinet on the tailed vdescription in which reference is made toy the accompanying drawing, wherein- Fig.r l is a cross-section of a roll cabinet made 25 and mounted in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the molded onepiece roll cabinet removed from its spring clip on the wall;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the spring clip atgo tached to the wall;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional detail on the iine fi--l of Fig. 1, with an intermediate portion of the section broken away to conserve space in the drawing and show the parts on a large scale,

and f Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the upper portionl of the roll cabinet showing the integral hollow lugs used for mounting the cabinet on the clip.

The same reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts throughout the views.

The roll containing cabinet 6 of my invention is of a one-piece molded plastic construction sornprlsing a generally semi-cylindrical main peripheral wall 7, and sides 8 and 9 integral 5 therewith. A reinforcing rib I0 and a paper tearing edge il are provided at opposite ends of the main Wall '1. If desired, ornamental beads may be molded on the outside of the cabinet wall il, as shown. The cabinet 6, as will soon appear, is designed to be molded of a suitable plastic material in a simple non-collapsible mold ,i'or purposes of lower mold costs and generally better economy and speed in manufacture.

The usual cardboard spool I2 of a. standard e; size toilet paper roll I9 is arranged to be mounted snugly on a wooden roller I4 which is provided in connection with this cabinet. Supports for the'rotation of the roller I4 are provided at one, end by a pin I5 equipped with a locating flange I5a and, at the other end, by a spring-pressed 5 bullet detent I6. The projecting heads of this pin I5 and spring detent I6 are constructed to slide in grooves I1 and I8 molded in the cabinet side walls 8 and 9 and enter bearings I9, and 2D, respectively, 'formed suitably yby holes Ain said l@ walls. The entire lback of the cabinet is open, as indicated at 1b, and substantially the entire bottom likewise, as indicated'at 1c, so that a standard sized roll of toilet paper can be entered easily, especially when arranged to be guided by the u grooves Il and I8 which extend in a plane bisecting the angle defined between the open back and bottom of the cabinet, as shown in Fig. 1. The roller I4 is maintained in operating position through the pressure exerted by spring 2I which M holds the heads of pin I5 and detent I6 within their respective bearing holes. The spring pres-v sure just mentioned also serves to provide a frictional drag to resist too free rotation of the roller I4 whereby to avoid dispensing paper from the 25 roll I3 beyond the desired length, while still permitting the paper to be withdrawn easily.

To remove the roller I4 from the cabinet E when the roll I3 is used up, it is necessary only to expel the head of the detent I6 from its bearing 30 hole 20 and into the groove I8, whereupon the pin I5 can be withdrawn from its hole I9 by endwise movement of the roller and, with both pin "and detent in the grooves I'I and I8, the spool and roller can be slid out of the cabinet. A pin 22, 86

'which is supplied with the cabinet, as hereinafter appears, may be inserted in hole 20 and pressed againstthe detenty I6 to force the latter into the groove I8.

The cabinet is designed for attachment to a 40 wall 23 in thedesired place by mounting the same on a spring clip 24 of V-shaped'cross-section which is secured to the wall by screws 25/ and 26. The inside surfaces of a pair of hollow V-shaped lugs 21 and 28 which are molded integrally with 45 the cabinet inside its two upper corners kiit in the clip so as to depress the free arm 29 of the clip 24 while the upper edge 30 of the container is sprung beneath the forwardly curled upper edge 3l of the attaching arm 3Ia, the arms 29, 50 3Ia beingvonly slightly shorter in length than the inside width of the cabinet so that the arms will engage the inner sides of the Side walls 8, 9 to prevent sidewise displacement of the cabinet relative to the clip. With this method of attach- 55 ment. the cabinet is securely attached to the wall but may be readily removed therefrom by gripping the cabinet and flrst applying a relatively slight downward pressure so that the free arm 29 of the clip 24 will move in a like direction and release the edge 30 from the retaining projection 3|. It will be noticed in Fig. l that the lugs 21, 28 when engaged in the spring clip do not quite reach the crotch 24a thereof, so that the release movement described is permitted. It will also be noticed that the lugs 21, 28 have their inner walls 21a, 28a inclined in a plane substantially parallel with the grooves I1, I8 to facilitate molding. The curled edge portion 3| provides a convenient holder for the pin 22 previously mentioned, the head of the pin neatly covering up the end of this hollow portion when the shank of the pin is entered therein, as indicated in Fig. 3. The closure 22a for the other end may be i'lxed or removable and of like form to pin 22.

A spring tongue 32 attached to the clip 24 by any suitable method, as by welding, provides an additional frictional drag on the turning-of the roll I3 by exerting a light pressure against the roll I3. whereby to prevent its spinning.

As has been mentioned, the molding of this cabinet requires only a simple non-collapsible type mold. Thus, the main wall 1, which is concentric except at the mounting end with the bearing holes I9, for the roller. includes not more than 180 degrees, measured 90 both ways from the plane of the grooves Il, I8, as indicated by the dot-and-dash line a-b in Fig. l. For a like reason, grooves I'I, I8 and the inner walls of the hollow lugs 21, 28, allof which are in parallel relation, are made at right angles to said plane c-b. By virtue of this design, the y simple non-collapsible type ram of the plastic molding machine is easily removable from the cabinet after the molding thereof. While any suitable plastic material of the Bakelite type may be used in the production of the present cabinet. I at present prefer what is known as Beetle The foregoing description conveys a good understanding of the objects and advantages of my invention. The appended claims have been drawn with a view to covering all legitimate modications and adaptations.

I claimt l. A paper roll cabinet comprising a hollow cabinet body formed to provide spaced parallel side walls and a transverse wall connecting the edge portions of the side walls only over the top and front portions of the cabinet body, whereby to leave substantially the entire back and vbottom of said body open to admit a roll of paper. said side walls having their rear wall-engaging edges in a plane `substantially at right angles to the top wall of the cabinet body, and said top wall having one or more downwardly extending projections by means of which'said cabinet is'adapted to be supported on a wall. and the side walls of said cabinet having grooves provided in the inner sides thereof extending upwardly and for; wardly from points adjacent the rear portion of the bottom edges of seid side walls, and said grooves terminating at their upper ends in coaxially aligned bearings at the approximate centers of said side walls adapted to support the projecting coaxially aligned pivots for a roll of paper.

2. A cabinet as set forth in claim l, wherein said downwardly extending projections on the top wall are inclined in a plane substantially parallel with said grooves, the cabinet body being molded in one piece with said projections integral therewith.

3. A cabinet as set forth in claim 1, wherein said downwardly extending projections on the top Wall are inclined in a plane substantially parallel with said grooves, the cabinet body being molded in one piece with said projections integral therewith, and the lower edge of the transverse wall lying approximately in a transverse plane normal to the side walls of the cabinet body and also normal to the grooves and projections.

4. A cabinet as set forth in claim l, wherein said downwardly extending projections on the top wall are inclined in a plane substantially parallel with said grooves, the cabinet body being molded in one piece with saidprojections integral therewith, and the lower edge of the transverse wall lying approximately in a transverse plane normal to the side walls of the cabinet body and also normal to the grooves and projections, the lower edge portion of said transverse wall being tapered so as to provide a sharp edge over which the paper from the roll is adapted to be fed, whereby to facilitate tearing off the dispensed portion.

5. A paper roll cabinet of the character described, comprising a hollow cabinet body formed to provide side walls and a connecting transverse wall to enclose a roller of paper, the side wana having grooves provided on the inner sides thereof extending in parallel relation to one another from the outer edges of the side walls/and terminating at their inner ends in coaxially aligned 'bearings adapted to receive the projecting coaxially aligned pivots on the ends of a roll of paper, one of the bearings being formed by an opening through the side wall of the cabinet body, a roll supporting roller having coaxially aligned pivots projecting from the opposite ends thereof for reception in the aforesaid bearings and adapted to be guided toward said bearings by sliding movement in the grooves, one of said projecting pivots on the roller having a spring for moving the same endwise and normally holding the same extended, whereby the same is adapted to move under spring pressure into engagement in the bearing opening, and a pin demountably supported with the cabinet on a wall and adapted to be entered in said bearing opening from the outside of the cabinet to displace the spring pressed pivot from the bearing opening into the groove to permit removal of the roller from the cabinet.

6. As an article of manufacture, a one-piece molded cabinet body for a paper roll cabinet cornprising spaced parallel side walls and an integral transverse connecting wall closing only the top and front of the cabinet and leaving substantially the entire back and bottom of the cabinet open, the rear edges of the side walls being in coplanar relation and approximately ai, right angles to the plane of the top wall of the cabinet body for engagement with a supporting wall in a room. said top wall having one or more downwardly extending projections at the rear thereof by means of which said cabinet/is adapted to be demountably secured to the wall. and the side walls of said cabinet body having parallel grooves provided therein extending from points adjacent the rear of the bottom edges upwardly and forwardly and terminating in co axially aligned bearings at the approximate cene ters of the side walls adapted to receive projecting coaxially aligned pivots on a roll of paper. y'

7. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 6, wherein the downwardly extending projectons on the top wall have their inner surfaces in a plane substantially parallel with the grooves in the side walls.

8. An article of manufacture as set forth in claimt, wherein the downwardly extending projections on the top wall have their inner surfaces in a plane substantially parallel with the grooves in the side walls, the transverse wall connecting said side walls terminating at its lower end approximately in a plane normal to the inside surfaces of said projections and said grooves.

9. An article of manufacture as set forth in claim 6, wherein the downwardly extending projections on the top Wall have their inner surfaces in a plane substantially parallel with the grooves in the side walls, the transverse wall connecting` said side walls terminating at its lower end approximately in a plane normal to the inside surfaces of said projections and said grooves, the lower end portion of said transverse wall being tapered so as to provide a sharp paper tearing edge.

10. A paper roll cabinet comprising a hollow cabinet body formed to provide spaced parallel side walls and a transverse wall connecting the edge portions of the side walls only over the top and front portions of the cabinet body, whereby to leave substantially the entire back and bottom of said body open to admit a roll of paper, said side walls having their rear Wall engaging edges in a plane substantially at right angles to the top wall of the cabinet body, and said top wall having one or more downwardly tapering projections on the inner side thereof adjacent its rear edge, a spring clip of V-shaped crosssection whereby one arm of the V provides an attaching portion for engagement with the wall of a room and the other arm of the V provides a springable portion adapted to be engaged and depressed by the aforesaid tapered projections on' the top wall of said cabinet body for support of the cabinet body on the wall, said clip having a forward projection Von the upper end of the wall engaging arm thereof arranged to engage on top of said cabinet body to retain the same detachably in the clip, said clip serving by engagement with the innerl sides of the side walls of the cabinet body to prevent lateral displacement of said cabinet body relative to said clip.

ll. A device as set forth in claim 10, including a roll engaging spring tongue depending from the spring clip intermediate the ends thereof and projecting forwardly from the wall for engagement with a paper roll in the cabinet, frictionally to resist turning of the roll.

12. A device as set forth in claim 10, whereinr drical projection to form a closure therefor, said pin having a shank portion small enough in diameter to be entered through a hole in the side wall of the cabinet body in coaxial alignment with the central bearing provided therein for the paper roll pivot, substantially as and for the purpose described.

ROY W. JOHNSON. 

